Front Squats vs Back Squats

[u418936]

When I do heavy back squats, I have trouble keeping my lower back straight, and I get some back pain. With front squats, I'm forced to keep my back straight so that I wont lose the bar, so I never get any back pain. As a result, I've been thinking about switching permanently from back squats to front squats. At the very least, I'm not going to do back squats anymore until I get a lot more flexibility in my hips, glutes, and hamstrings.

Are front squats as good as back squats in terms of building total body strength? I have to reduce the weight by about 60% when I move from back squats to front squats, but I still feel like I get a good workout.

 

[lightemup82]

When I do heavy back squats, I have trouble keeping my lower back straight, and I get some back pain. With front squats, I'm forced to keep my back straight so that I wont lose the bar, so I never get any back pain. As a result, I've been thinking about switching permanently from back squats to front squats. At the very least, I'm not going to do back squats anymore until I get a lot more flexibility in my hips, glutes, and hamstrings.

Are front squats as good as back squats in terms of building total body strength? I have to reduce the weight by about 60% when I move from back squats to front squats, but I still feel like I get a good workout.

I've never done front squats but it sound's like you either need to do some back exercises Like dead lifts to strengthen up you're back side or lower the wieght and practice on form.. Do you use a back support?

 

[araiber]

You could probably build up more ab strength (as much of the stability of the bar is from your stomach as well). But as lightemup pointed out, work on your back a bit. Normally you would do less weight with Front Squats because of the muscles targetted are weaker. Similar Thread Here

 

[u418936]

You could probably build up more ab strength (as much of the stability of the bar is from your stomach as well). But as lightemup pointed out, work on your back a bit. Normally you would do less weight with Front Squats because of the muscles targetted are weaker. Similar Thread Here

Thanks. Never saw that thread. I go a lot heavier on deadlifts than I do on back squats, so I don't think lower back strength is the issue. It's strange, but deadlifts don't hurt my back at all. I'm pretty sure that I'm having problems with squats because I lack flexibility.

 

[coolcolj]

good mornings - do em

plus hip mobility work and plenty of glute bridges

 

[wpolo05]

good mornings - do em

plus hip mobility work and plenty of glute bridges

Pretty much says it. Soft tissue work can help too [foam roll and self massage]

But keep in mind, there are 2 types of back squats - power and olympic. Make sure you know which one you are doing, so you don't mix them up. If you are trying to drop real low into the hole with a low bar setup you might run into problems.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/tya4.htm

 

[coolcolj]

this will help

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=495189

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1618485

 

[d-dub]

Also check out the 4 vids in this series...

The guy posted them in his thread on t-nation but i will link direct to youtube...
Squat Rx..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq8CWv8UPAI

well worth a look...

 

[Sigbjørn]

But keep in mind, there are 2 types of back squats - power and olympic. Make sure you know which one you are doing, so you don't mix them up. If you are trying to drop real low into the hole with a low bar setup you might run into problems.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/tya4.htm

That's a good article, but one got to keep in mind that there's not just one type of squats done in powerlifting. Compare the squats done in two of the bigger feds - WPO and IPF. They are very different. IPF squats are low bar and the stance is atleast somewhat wider than olympic squats, but not nearly as wide as WPO, and they tend to be noticeably deeper too (though usually not olympic deep).

WPO squats: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DArKpycGA2o
IPF squats: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6qOrtm3O6w

 

[u418936]

Also check out the 4 vids in this series...

The guy posted them in his thread on t-nation but i will link direct to youtube...
Squat Rx..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq8CWv8UPAI

well worth a look...

Those are some freaking awesome videos. I wish I'd seen them a few months ago, when I started the 5x5. They probably would've saved me a lot of back pain. You can read all you want about the correct form, but it makes a huge difference when you see someone actually explaining it and showing where people (like me) tend to go wrong.

Thx again for the stretching info coolcolj. You've answered some of my questions before, and I've been doing a lot of the hip stretches from the links you've posted. If there's one thing I'd change about the 5x5 programs listed on this site, I'd put much more emphasis on flexibility. If you're not as flexible as you are strong, you're probably going to hurt yourself.